Big East, WVU near $20 million settlement

Posted on: February 8, 2012 4:07 pm

Edited on: February 8, 2012 9:15 pm

West Virginia and the Big East Conference are nearing agreement on a settlement worth at least $20 million that would resolve all issues between both parties, college football industry sources told CBSSports.com.

The Mountaineers will join the Big 12 for the 2012-13 school year. However, in a bizarre twist, sources told CBSSports.com that West Virginia officials have contacted future Big East members to see if one could join in 2012 instead of 2013.

The reason is that with West Virginia’s departure to the Big 12, the Big East will be left with only seven football members this fall. Without an immediate replacement for West Virginia, the remaining Big East schools will be scrambling to find a 12th opponent. It’s unknown why West Virginia would assist a league that WVU athletic director Oliver Luck compared to “a ship … seriously going down,” except that it could lower West Virginia’s buyout, sources said.

Luck did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Despite lawsuits filed by West Virginia and the Big East, West Virginia still plans to join the Big 12 this year. The Big 12 has already sent its 2012 schedule, with West Virginia on it, to its television partners and is expected to publicly release the schedule this week.

While WVU has always planned to join in 2012, Big East commissioner John Marinatto has stated on multiple occasions, including Wednesday, that the league would require West Virginia to honor the league’s 27-month exit agreement. However, sources said privately the league has conceded they can’t stop West Virginia from leaving.

The Big East, though, likely would receive substantial monetary damages. Even Florida State athletic director Randy Spetman said his school might seek liquidated damages against WVU after WVU canceled a Sept. 8 game at Florida State, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The $20 million settlement figure is believed to be contingent on the Big East being able to get a replacement for West Virginia in 2012 and certainly could increase if it had to play with only seven members in 2012. It’s unknown if that $20 million figure includes the $5 million West Virginia paid upon notifying the Big East last October it was bolting to the Big 12.

Acting Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas recently told the West Virginia media that the Big 12 would consider assisting the Mountaineers financially with their exit fee, if the school asked.

Marinatto, who was on a teleconference Wednesday to announce Memphis joining the league in 2013, would not comment on whether the Big East is trying to bring in a member in 2012 or if they would help a future member financially to leave its current conference home.

“The question is related to the impending litigation we're involved in on two fronts," Marinatto said. "It would be inappropriate for me to get into specifics about all of that at this point. I'm going to not talk about that."

Boise State, San Diego State, UCF, SMU, Houston and Memphis are scheduled to join the Big East in 2013 with Navy coming on board in 2015. Marinatto added the Big East would not stage a conference championship football game until 2015 when Navy would - at least for now - become its 12th football playing member.

Also, Wednesday night, the Newark Star-Ledger reported that if the Big East does not find a replacement for West Virginia this fall, then Syracuse and Rutgers could play each other twice with both games counting in the conference standings. One game would be played at Rutgers and the second game possibly at Yankee Stadium.

Big East, WVU near $20 million settlement

FSU AD, you are so funny.......thinking you are going to get more than you deserve from WVU. Have fun explaining the difference between FSU dropping WVU LATE in 93 and WVU dropping you late now. Back in 93, FSU was joining a new conference, had to tweak its schedule and dropped WVU. Today, WVU is joining the Big 12, has to tweak its schedule by dropping the cheapest game, FSU. FSU more than likely has to drop WVU next year because of the entrance of Pitt and Cuse.......which by the way both have openings on the date in which FSU needs a replacement team. FSU AD said those 2 schools don't compare to WVU and will hurt FSU's SOS......those 2 teams that FSU agreed to let join the ACC. What an embarrassment for FSU and Swofford.

PS, FSU is in the ACC - don't worry about your SOS.

Since: Nov 13, 2006

Posted on: February 8, 2012 4:38 pm

Big East, WVU near $20 million settlement

What does this mean for Pitt and Syracuse? Would they have to work out their own settlements to leave early? I doubt the ACC would assist them the way the Big XII is willing to help WVU, especially since John Swofford already said he's willing to wait for them to come into the ACC as long as necessary to avoid any major headaches.

Since: Dec 16, 2011

Posted on: February 8, 2012 4:35 pm

Big East, WVU near $20 million settlement

RUTGERS - FSU

Since: Feb 8, 2012

Posted on: February 8, 2012 4:26 pm

Big East, WVU near $20 million settlement

Don't know who they could get to join on this short of a notice. Conf USA isn't letting any of thier 4 go, because they'd lose the ability to have a conf champ game in 2012. That leaves Boise and SDSU. Boise has already said it isn't happening. Guess that leaves SDSU?

As far as another game for each Big East memeber if they have to play with 7 next year, Boise is looking for a 13th game. One of these 7 schools should go out to Boise and satisfy a need for both schools. Florida State needs a 12th game now. Thats an opportunity for another one of these schools. It won't be that hard to round out the schedule.